Internal-combustion engine



Sept. 9, 1930. F. J. OMO

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 1928 2 Sheets-Shee hug r w &

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INTERNAL COMBUS 'I ION ENGINE Filed April 1928 2 Sheets-Shee 2gnve'nto1,

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' operatively bustion space Patented Sept. 9, 1930 FRANK .1. onto, orNEW YORK, N. Y.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTIOF' ENGINE Application filed April 4,

This invention relates to improvements in internal combustion enginesand especlally to a. novel engine of the opposed piston type.

One of the objects of the invention is to 5 provide an internalcombustion engine structure wherein thehorse power may be substantiallydoubled without increasing the weightof the engine, and wherein eachexsplosion is fully utilized to drive opposed 1 pistons. I v

A further object is to furnish an opposed piston type internalcombustion engine in which one piston operates within the other;

' the lower or. inner .ends of both pistons being connected to theengine shaft. Another object is to provide a special type of opposedpiston engine with means or forcing. an explosive mixture into the same,with a view of rapidly charging the comand expeditiously scavenging thesame.

A further object is to furnish an engine of this character, which may beeffectively and efiiciently cooled by air instead of by 5 water orsimilar cooling liquids, for in this improved engine, the head of thecylinder is open to permit air to be drawn into and ejected from thesame by one of the reciprocating pistons. The construction is also suchthat some of the cooling air will enter the exhaust conduit from theinlet end of the latter. I,

A still further object of the invention is to provide novel means fortransmitting der engines of various types, or in engines of differentcycles.

movement of the pistons to the engine shaft,

1928. Serial No. 267,316.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view whichwill appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in thenovel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation bf oneembodiment of the improved engine.

Fig. 2 is a similar view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. v v

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a charge forming and forcing device whichmay be used with the invention.

Fig. 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional view, taken on line 44 ofFig. 2.

In the drawings, 1 designates the crank case of the improved engine,which may be of any desired shape or construction to accommodate certainmoving parts of the engine, and form an oil chamber for lubricatingpurposes. This case carries the tubular cylinder '2, which is in theshape of a sleeve having a flange 3 at its lower or inner end, for usein securing the same to the crank case.

An inlet 4, for the explosive charge, may be arranged near the lower endof the cylinder, and an outlet 5 for the exhaust gases may be locatednear the .upper end of the cylinder.

Air cooled fins 6 are preferably arranged on the exterior of thecylinder, and the interior of the latter is bored smooth and incylindrical form to provide a guide for the upper or outer piston 7.

his piston includes a head 8 and a cylindrical skirt 9 which reciprocatevertically in the cylinder. A spark pluglO is connected M to the head,to take care of ignition. The engine is designed to have the compressionratio reduced to a point where the ignition will not be automatic, andthe spark plug will be used at all times. Of course, the compressionratio may be increased if desired, and then the use of the spark plugcan be eliminated after the engine starts.

Air cooled fins 11 are also preferably used on the outer side of the top8 to prevent the These pistons are used to transmit the forces of theexplosions to the engine shaft, and for this purpose, the outer pistonis provided at diametrically opposite sides, with depending legs, eachhaving a pair of projecti-ng shafts 17, carrying rollers 18 which havetheir peripheries spaced slightly apart to receive cams 19 forming partof cam plates 20, which have bosses or hubs 21, fixed or fast on theengine shaft 22; the latter being freely rotatable in bearings 23 on thecrank case.

The inner piston is also provided with pairs of rollers, but in thisinstance, the rollers 24 of the upper pair are mounted by means of ballhearings or the like, on a shaft 25, and this shaft is connected to theinner piston, and carries a link 26 that supports a short shaft 27carrying on ball bearings or the like. rollers 28 which have theirperipheries spaced from the rollers 24, so that therollers 24 and 28 mayengage opposite faces of cams 29, carried by cam plates 30, having hubs31 fixed to the shaft 22.

It may be clearly seen from Fig. 2 that the cams 19 and 29 arepreferably of substantially elliptical shape and arranged in crossedrelation. In this construction, the pistons, due to an explosion withinthe combustion chamber 32, will move apart and rotate the cams andengine shaft, and as the engine shaft continues to rotate under themomentum of the fly wheel33 (fast on the engine shaft), the heads of thepistons will again-be moved toward each other.

In the improved engine, it is desirable to force the explosive mixturein under pressure, with a view of obtaining a rapid introduction of thecharge, and a quick expelling of the exhaust gases. One means ofaccomplishing this result, is illustrated. It may include a stationarycasing 34, arranged alongside the crank case, with the engine shaftprojecting into the same. A paddle or blade 35 is fast on the engineshaft within the casing, and this blade, as it rotates, draws air intothe casing through an air intake con-' duit 36, and then forces it outunder pressure through a pipe 37 having a suitable control throttle 38.As the paddle rotates, it picks up fuel from a pool 39 which is keptreplenished, from a supply tank (not shown), that feeds through a pipe40, controlled by a float valve 41. To operate the float 42 of thisvalve, the chamber 43 is placed in communication with the casing 34, bymeans of a pipe 44.

Instead of this construction, I may use a blower to force air throughthe air intake of an ordinary present day standard carburetor. Theblower, of course, would be driven'by the engine.

The pipe 37 leads to the inlet 4 of the cylwith the outlet 5 of thecylinder. It may be also clearly seen from the drawing, that the skirt 9of the outer piston provides valve means for controlling the ports 4 and5.

In the operation of this engine, when the shaft 2 is turned to start themotor, the paddle 35 will force an explosive mixture under pressure,into the pipe 37, and as the pistons in moving apart, approach theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an explosive charge from the pipe 27will rush into the combustion chamber 32, through the ports 4 and 13,and if there is any exhaust gas in the combustion chamber, this entranceof the explosive charge will act to expel such exhaust gas through ports14 and 5, into the exhaust pipe 45.

vAs soon'as the explosive charge has been admitted, the shaft 22 inrotating, will cause the cams 19 and 29 to move the piston heads towardeach other, and as the outer piston 7 moves, its ports 13 and 14 willpass out of register with the ports 4 and 5, and consequently, thecombustion space will be sealed. As soon as the charge has beencompressed sufliciently, the spark plug 10 will be actuated to ignitethe charge, and the resulting explosion will force the heads of thepistons apart, with the result that the rollers of the pistons willdrive the cams and the engine shaft.

As the head of the cylinder is always open, it will be recognized thatas the engine operates, the head 8 of the outer piston will continuallycause a circulation of air about the cylinder, and some of this air willbe drawn into the upper portion of the cylinder, and cool the latter, aswell as the head of the piston, and furthermore, some of this air willbe caused to enter the inlet end of the exhaust pipe 45, as such endwill be uncovered by the outer piston, as it moves downwardly.

It will be recognized that the present construction eliminates thenecessity of employing cooling water or the like, and also obviates theuse of control valves, and enables practically double the horse power tobe obtained, without increasing the weight of the engine. It may also bementioned that it has been customary heretofore, in using engines of theopposed piston type, to transmit the power from the outer piston to thecrank shaft, by means including parts extending outwardly beyond theupper end of the cylinder, and consequently, such engines were unfittedfor use on automobiles or the mder, and an exhaust pipe 45 communicates.

like, due to the bulky dimensions of the engine. The present engine maybe made within the measurements used forthe ordinary internal combustionengine, employing a single piston and having a pitman connecting it tothe crank sha From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction,operation and advantages, of

' ers, a shaft, and crosse the invention may be readily understood, andI am aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having open ends,opposed pistons mounted for reciprocation in the cylinder, one of thepistons being arranged within the other, a shaft, crossed oval-shapedcam tracks mounted on the shaft, and means operatively connecting thepistons to said cam tracks.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, opposed pistons mountedfor reciprocation in the cylinder a combustion space between saidpistons, a shaft, a pair of ovalshaped cams mounted on the shaft, pairsof rollers mounted on one of the pistons and engaging said cams, anotherpair of ovalshaped cams mounted on the shaft and arranged in crossedrelation to the first men t ioned cams, and pairs of rollers on theother piston operatively engaging the second-cams.

3. An internal combustion engine, including a cylinder, opposed pistonsarranged in the cylinder for reciprocation, each piston being providedwith a pair of opposed rollers, a shaft, crossed cams mounted on theshaft and engaging-said rollers, a combustion chamber between saidpistons, intake means adjacent thelower piston, an exhaustopeningadjacent the top of said cylinder,

, said upper piston uncovering said opening during compression to aid incooling said exhaust. 1

4. An internal combustion engine, including a cylinder, opposed pistonsarranged 1n the cylinder for reciprocatlon, each p1ston being providedwith a (pair of opposed rollannular cam tracks mounted on the shaft andengaging said being arranged within the other, a pair of opposedrollersarranged on each piston within the crank case, a-shaft .m thecrank case,

and crossed oval-shaped cams fast on theshaf-tand engaging said rollers.

6. An internal combustion engine mcluding 'a' crankcase, a stationarycyhnder mounted on the crank case and hav1ng 1ts outer end open, opposedpistons mounted for reciprocation entirely within the cylinder, one ofsaid pistons being arranged within the other, the cylinder and one ofsaid pistons being provided with intake and exhaust pos ts arranged tosimultaneously register during the reciprocation of the pistons, theexhaust port of the cylinder being arran ed in close proximity to theupper end of t e cylinder tons to said shaft.

FRANK J. OMO.

